If you want a great escape in the heart of idyllic Tuscany, you can go to San Gimignano, a small ancient town placed 53 km south from Florence, where you can arrive in approximately one hour and a half, by bus, from Santa Maria Novella, for 6.80 euro a ticket.
That’s exactly what I did during my stay in Florence, and it was a great journey, because the road passes through beautiful Tuscany, and the real feeling was like living into a postcard, you know the classic ones, with green hills, rows of perfectly aligned vines, tall dark green candle trees and, oh, the brick houses with brick roof tiles.
San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. Known as The Town of Fine Towers, San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls form an unforgettable skyline. Within the walls, the well-preserved buildings include notable examples of both Romanesque and Gothic architecture, with outstanding examples of secular buildings as well as churches. The Palazzo Comunale, the Collegiate Church and Church of Sant’ Agostino contain frescos, including cycles dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. The “Historic Centre of San Gimignano” is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Now, since you know how to get there, why and what, I invite you to step out across this picturesque, fortified town, stop for an exquisite Italian coffee or to eat something in small, cosy traditional restaurants and admire this eclectic place with an active cultural life. Let’s begin our day trip in San Gimignano!
Photo credits: palazzoravizza.it, blog.vtourne.ru, Alina Mitrica, personal archive Ruxandra Chiurtu